For the second consecutive year, much to the annoyance of Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey, no SEC team will be in the CFP national championship game.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing for college football. The sport has much better national appeal when it has geographic balance among the top contenders instead of consistent SEC dominance like most of the last two decades.
Notre Dame squaring off against Ohio State for the national title Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a refreshing matchup, even if the teams met during the 2022 and ‘23 regular seasons with the Buckeyes prevailing.
If you’re trying to attract television viewers, you can’t go wrong with a brand like Notre Dame, which has been reeling in a national audience in huge numbers since the coaching days of Knute Rockne.
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Nobody has a more storied history than the Fighting Irish, though Michigan, Alabama and Ohio State would likely debate that point.
And with a popular coach in Marcus Freeman taking the program to a higher level after Brian Kelly divorced the Irish for LSU, it’s a huge boost for college football to have Notre Dame back on the biggest stage.
“It’s cool to have Notre Dame involved at this time of year,” said Tony Barnhart, long known in media circles as Mr. College Football and a columnist for TMG College Sports. “Can you imagine what the TV ratings are going to be Monday night? It’ll be fun.
“Marcus Freeman is a great story. This Notre Dame team has made them likable again and I didn’t think I’d hear that.”
It’s not like the SEC won’t be a dominant force again because it has too many good players, but Ohio State and Notre Dame clashing for the biggest prize is a nice changeup pitch.
Buckeyes’ fans should appreciate Day
I’m pretty sure this is Urban Meyer’s fault for having the audacity to go 7-0 against Michigan when he coached Ohio State (2012-18). But the contempt a lot of Buckeyes fans have for successor Ryan Day — especially before this year’s CFP began — is rather deplorable.
Sure, losing to your hated rival four straight years like John Cooper did from 1988-91 is going to get in the fans’ crosshairs. But when you look at Day’s phenomenal 69-10 record (.873) and making a second national title game appearance, that should buy him a ton of forgiveness.
Yet plenty of OSU fans questioned whether Day should continue as their coach when unranked Michigan upset the Buckeyes, 13-10, in November.
Knocking off Tennessee, Oregon and Texas to reach the championship game has reduced the heat on Day, but you can bet he will be the scapegoat again if the Buckeyes lose to Notre Dame.
“Before the playoff started, I thought if he lost to Tennessee, he could get fired,” said Barnhart. “If Ohio State were to fire Ryan Day, he’d be unemployed about a minute and a half. The guy is a really good football coach.
“If Ohio State beats Notre Dame, will they embrace Ryan Day and all [Michigan] sins be forgiven? If they do win it all, wouldn’t it be a good time for Ryan Day to walk away?”
It’s hard to foresee Day scurrying for the exit after winning a national title, but that’s exactly what Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh did under much different circumstances last year when he took the Los Angeles Chargers’ job.
Win or lose against Notre Dame, perhaps Ohio State fans should dial down their sense of entitlement and appreciate Day for winning nearly all his games except Michigan, though he did beat the Wolverines 56-27 back in 2019.
Michigan results aside, Ohio State fans should understand this: firing or losing Ryan Day will not make things better for your football program.
Gfrenette@jacksonville.com; (904) 359-4540; Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @genefrenette.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Win or lose against Notre Dame, Ohio State fans should appreciate Ryan Day
